Brachialis SMR (Bicep Roll)

Execution

1. Lift the hips off the floor, taking your weight through the rolling arm and your feet, keeping the body in one line.
2. Roll slowly along the outside of the upper arm, from near the elbow up toward the shoulder, about 3 seconds per pass.
3. When you find a tender spot, stop there, lower the hips to rest for a beat if you need to, then hold the spot and breathe for 10-20 seconds.
4. Roll for 45-60 seconds on one side, lower the hips, switch arms and hold the same time on the other side.
5. Numbness or tingling running down into the hand means stopping right away and moving the roller further from the elbow.

Quick cues

• Hips and torso stay in one line.
• Three seconds on each pass up.
• Park on the sore spot and breathe.
• Too much, lower the hips and rest.
• Numbness into the hand means stop.

Common faults

• Fault: Letting the hips sag toward the floor while rolling

  Fix: Brace the belly and glutes gently, and lower the hips fully to rest when tired instead of holding a sagging position.

• Fault: Rolling hard over the lower outer part of the upper arm, where the radial nerve runs close to the surface

  Fix: Use light pressure through that stretch, don't park on it, and keep the rolling zone at least a hand's width above the elbow crease.

• Fault: Dumping the full bodyweight onto the arm from the very first pass

  Fix: Keep the hips lower and let the legs take more of the load, raising the hips higher only once the muscle starts to release.

• Fault: Holding the breath because of the effort of holding the position

  Fix: Lower the hips to the floor to rest between passes and only hold the raised position while the breathing stays even.